THE plate, which came from a mystery pensioner's collection in Dumfriesshire, was expected to fetch £5000 but bidding rose to more than 85 times the estimate.

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The Ming-style plate sold for £427,250 – more than 85 times the estimate

AN old china plate has won an incredible £400,000 windfall for a mystery Scots pensioner.

The Ming-style plate, decorated with a five-toed blue dragon encircling a pearl, was expected to fetch just £5000 at Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh.

But experts were stunned when bidding rose to £427,250 – more than 85 times the estimate.

The blue and white plate came from the woman’s private collection in Dumfriesshire.

The seller’s uncle was a prisoner-of-war in Japan during World War II and stayed there after his release, becoming a successful businessman.

He collected the plate and other Chinese and Japanese works of art before bringing them back to Britain in the 1950s.

The 51cm “Ming-style dragon charger” would have belonged to the Qianlong Emperor, who ruled over China from 1735 to 1796.

The plate is believed to have belonged to Qianlong emperor

The seller decided to sell it as none of her family wanted it and they were stunned at its success. Lee Young, Lyon & Turnbull’s Asian specialist, said: “This was a terrific result and is the highest price paid for Chinese porcelain of this kind in Scotland.

“It was on public view in Edinburgh and on the internet. A number of sophisticated buyers satisfied themselves that it was from the Qianlong period, hence they bid as strongly as they did. It was a real surprise for us and the vendors.”

Eight phone bidders, mostly based in China, fought for the plate, which eventually returned to its original country.

Lee added: “The Chinese market is gaining strength at such a fast pace that we are seeing items going for many times what they were just a few years ago.”

The huge price paid for the plate comes after a charity shop were left reeling when they flogged an antique vase valued at £1500 for just £15.

The French-made glass cabinet vase, by Daum Nancy, was sold at The Community Charity Shop in Inverness.